text: 1,3-Diols are often prepared industrially by aldol condensation of ketones with formaldehyde. The resulting carbonyl is reduced using the Cannizzaro reaction or by catalytic hydrogenation:
  : RC(O)CH  +  CHO   →   RC(O)CHCHOH
  : RC(O)CHCHOH  +  H   →   RCH(OH)CHCHOH
  2,2-Disubstituted propane-1,3-diols are prepared in this way. Examples include 2-methyl-2-propyl-1,3-propanediol and neopentyl glycol.
  1,3-Diols can be prepared by hydration of α,β-unsaturated ketones and aldehydes. The resulting keto-alcohol is hydrogenated. Another route involves the hydroformylation of epoxides followed by hydrogenation of the aldehyde. This method has been used for 1,3-propanediol from ethylene oxide.
  More specialized routes to 1,3-diols involves the reaction between an alkene and formaldehyde, the Prins reaction. 1,3-diols can be produced diastereoselectively from the corresponding β-hydroxy ketones using the Evans–Saksena, Narasaka–Prasad or Evans–Tishchenko reduction protocols.
  1,3-Diols are described as syn or anti depending on the relative stereochemistries of the carbon atoms bearing the hydroxyl functional groups.  Zincophorin is a natural product that contains both syn and anti 1,3-diols.